An Ahmedabad garba event associated with singer Jigardan Gadhvi was stopped by police on Tuesday night after authorities said the venue did not have the required permission to operate, following reported fire-safety deficiencies at its air-conditioned dome on New Science City Road.
According to a report by Gujarat Samachar, the event had been held on the first night of Navratri despite the venue not receiving a Fire No-Objection Certificate. The report said fire officials had inspected the site four times over three days and identified multiple deficiencies, including restricted access routes, accumulated waste and exposed electrical wires beneath and behind the dome.
The fire department reportedly instructed organisers to address the wiring, install fire extinguishers and emergency exits, and apply fire-resistant spray to the fabric used in the dome and the carpet covering its ground. The report said these measures had not been completed by Monday night. Fire officials were quoted as warning that the fabric on the ground floor could catch fire if an incident occurred.
The venue allegedly continued hosting garba until about 1am on Sunday despite the reported absence of a Fire NOC. The report also raised questions over how police security was provided during the first night if the event did not have the required fire and police permissions. It did not establish which official or agency authorised the deployment.
The dispute escalated on the second night when ticket holders reportedly waited outside the venue from about 9pm without being allowed entry. The report said organisers did not provide a satisfactory explanation, after which some attendees pushed into the air-conditioned dome, tore posters and damaged property while demanding refunds.
Police subsequently stopped the event, stating that permission had not been granted. The report said the fire department’s permission had been obtained for the second night, but the police did not approve the event because a structural stability report had not been submitted. The account also said that the police application through the licensing branch of the commissioner’s office had not been completed earlier because the Fire NOC was unavailable.
The episode highlights the operational sequence required for temporary public venues in a dense urban setting: structural stability, fire clearance, emergency access and police permission must be completed before crowds are admitted. In this case, the reported gaps involved both life-safety infrastructure inside the dome and the administrative approval required to host a ticketed event.
The report did not provide the number of attendees, the ticket revenue involved or details of any injuries linked to the crowd disturbance. It also did not include a response from the event organisers regarding the alleged safety deficiencies, the delayed entry or refund demands. The immediate next step is the completion of the required safety and permission process before any further event can be held at the venue.
